


The King's Request

by Acting4Hope



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: F/M, royalty!au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-13 05:14:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3369140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acting4Hope/pseuds/Acting4Hope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cruel king told the world he needed no one in order to rule. But when a young maid stumbles into his royal court, he feels an instant connection with her and orders her to be his lady-in-waiting. As time passes, the bond grows into something beautiful and prosperous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The King's Request

The royal court was thick with tension on this early Sunday morning. The knights stood stiff in attention, but their glances to each other showed uneasiness. The butlers and maids stood in the very back of the courtroom, occasionally passing words of gossip to the other's ear. The whole court found themselves unable to shake the tense air that the king was giving off. He had been in this mood since this morning when he received word from a neighboring kingdom that they would not open trade with a queen-less kingdom. They had claimed that the young king had to be wed in order to show his maturity. Let's just say that this did not make the rather cold and dark king very happy. He stormed out into his royal court and sat down in his velvet chair and began brooding. Word had already spread around the entire castle of the troubling situation with the other kingdom, but no one dared to ask the king about it.  

You see, the king was a young but wicked ruler. He gained control of the country at the age of sixteen due to the unfortunate and unexpected passing of his mother, the sole ruler of the land. She had no husband, no family or any other sons, so when she passed the crown was immediately handed to the young man known as Gundam Tanaka. From that moment forward, what used to be a thriving and popular kingdom became a desolate and dark place. Gundam ruled with an iron fist. He showed no mercy to anyone, especially enemy lands. Over the course of his reign, the kingdom has grown about three times its normal size due to his army conquering enemy lands. Gundam made it very clear to everyone he could that he would not tolerate any type of insubordination. He conquered lands that tested his power and he executed any free radical that tried to go against him.  

Now he sat in his chair and stared at his hand in silent anger. His grey eye looked clouded with some unknown emotion while his red eye clearly was seething with anger. No one exactly knows why Gundam has a red eye, but some say that it is able to extract the darkest and truest thoughts from a person with just a glance. He has a long scar above his red eye that stretches all the way to just above his cheek. There are also many rumors behind how he got that scar, but the most popular one tells that Gundam got it from the queen's former husband when he was small before the husband stormed out, never to be seen again. His black hair hung down today, a sign that he was too angry to even let the maids do his normal, ice-cream style hairdo this morning. The grey streaks in his hair shined in the morning rays and his pale skin looked almost like snow in the light. He wore his usual attire; black trousers with a royal purple trim at the ankles, a black tunic with a royal purple and gold trimming, and a long black cloak with the royal family crest stitched into it in royal purple. His long black boots tapped the ground repeatedly as the king brooded. The royal court remained silent and tense until there was the sound of trumpet fare outside. The whole court looked to the large doors that protected the rest of the castle from the king's anger. Everyone except for the king. He knew who was coming in right now. 

"All bow before the rulers of Novoselic!! Queen Beatrice, King Leopold, and Princess Sonia Nevermind!!" The doors swung open and the whole courtroom fell to their knees and bowed before the three royals walking into the room. Gundam looked up from his hand and scowled at the three people approaching him. The king of Novoselic was a middle-aged man with brown hair and fading green eyes. The queen was a fair woman, not too old of age, with blonde hair and shimmering blue eyes that held a hidden pain. The princess was a young lady of the same age as Gundam with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her facial features mimicked something of her mother, but Gundam could see that no feature on the young princess resembled the king. He would keep this observation in his memory for later. The three royals stood before Gundam's throne and bowed quickly before standing once more.

"Good morning Gundam." The king greeted, flashing a very warm smile toward Gundam. Gundam gave the king a blank stare before chuckling dryly.

"The sun _may_ be shining, and the birds _may_ be singing their harmonious tunes, and the sky  _may_ be a light blue, but it is _not_ a good morning Leopold." Gundam stated coldly and the whole courtroom froze once more. Not even in the presence of royalty does Gundam try and conceal his anger. The king did not looked fazed by Gundam's words and proceeded to smile.

"So I'm guessing you received word of what I think of your little trade agreement?" The king asked and Gundam scoffed.

"Me and just about everyone in this entire castle. You really need to make your announcements a little less vocal Leopold. Things like this might scare the people of my kingdom." The king laughed and Gundam scowled even more. The royal court all exchanged glances of uncertainty to one another until the king spoke again.

"Well, I've never been one to hide my opinion, but I do stand by my words. You are far too young to be ruling a kingdom by yourself Gundam. You may have conquered vast amounts of land, but you are still just a weak child. You need a queen Gundam." Gundam stood from his chair and glared at the king of Novoselic. 

"I need _no one_." The courtroom became tense once more. No one dared to speak, especially when Gundam was out of his chair. He would never rise out of his chair for  _anyone_. For Gundam to stand up in front of anyone, especially to spit such venomous words, it would have to mean that that particular person had to have pissed him off pretty well. The king did not back down and instead smiled even wider.

"I know the idea makes you uncomfortable, but come on Gundam! Every king needs a noble and wise queen by his side to help make decisions! Why, look at my daughter," He walked to Sonia and placed a hand on her shoulder, "She's young and already has she helped make several executive decisions in our kingdom. She is loved by her people and is a fairly good listener. Not to mention, she is very pretty~" Gundam quirked a brow at the king.

"What are you trying to imply?" Gundam asked, sitting back down in his chair. The king smiled and stepped closer to Gundam with his daughter by his side.

"What I'm trying to imply is for you to marry Sonia." The court gasped in surprise, but Gundam rose a hand to silence them. He placed a hand on his chin and looked at the princess.

"Marry...her?" The king nodded and smiled even wider. Gundam let his hand fall back onto his lap so the king could see him smirk. The whole court was ridden with suspense awaiting Gundam's response.

"Hmmm....." Gundam hummed and stood, walking down to the princess and looking her once over. He then walked around her, inspecting every inch of her as if she were livestock on the market. The king stood not too far away from the princess and Gundam and looked very pleased with himself. After Gundam was done with his little inspection he walked back to his chair and sat down.

"Yes, I think I will have to... _deny_ your request." Out came another gasp from the court. The king suddenly went from looking pleased to looking shocked.

"What?!" The king gasped and Gundam nodded.

"Yes, I am just not interested in your daughter. She is...how do I put it....Ah yes! Plain. She is very plain." The king strode to Gundam's chair and pointed back at Sonia.

"Sonia is the most gorgeous woman throughout Novoselic!" The king defended. 

"You must have very ugly women then..." Gundam stated and the king growled in anger. He stormed back down to Sonia and gestured to her once more.

"You are very lucky that I am allowing you this beautiful, smart woman to be your wife! With your past, I doubt any woman would ever be _willingly_ near you!" Gundam laughed at the king's remark. 

"Do you honestly believe I care what the commoners think of me? Do you honestly believe I care what _women_ think of me? I don't need anyone, I already told you this Leopold." The king grumbled and went to leave. Before he could get to the door though he turned. 

"You have just lost the one chance to merge with one of the wealthiest kingdoms in the land, Gundam." He then turned back around and headed for the door. But Gundam was not done with him yet, oh no he wasn't. He had been insulted in his own court in front of his own people, so he needed to strike back.

"Oh, I don't think anyone would even want a _mutt_ anyway!" Gundam called after the king. The king froze for a moment. The crowd was dead silent as the king slowly turned his body back around to face Gundam.

"What...did you just say...?" The king asked as he looked at Gundam directly, his eyes overflowing with blind fury.

"Oh, it appears I have struck a nerve~" Gundam noted wittily. The king remained where he stood for only a split second until he charged right at Gundam.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK YOU BASTARD!!" The king bellowed. Gundam just laughed and lifted a hand and suddenly the king was apprehended by two knights. The king looked at the knights and flailed wildly.

"Aw, is the baby mad~?" Gundam cooed as he stood and walked down to the king. The king ceased his flailing and settled for glaring at Gundam instead. Gundam met the king's eye level and laughed. "You really are an incessant fool." He stated in a low voice.

"How... _dare_ you speak of my daughter that way...?" The king muttered. Gundam flashed a wicked grin and shrugged. 

"How dare you let your wife go screwing around with the commoners?" Gundam turned away from the king and he could hear him struggling once more against the knights. "As a matter of fact, I'm surprised you even let the poor girl live. What with your kingdom being the most _noble_ and  _prosperous_ kingdom in _all the land_." Gundam turned his head back to the king and flashed him the largest and most atrocious grin he had ever made. "Did you let that man live Leopold? Tell me, I am very curious." Leopold looked away from Gundam in anger but also shame which was the only response Gundam needed before cackling.

"I don't need this kind of treatment from you!" The king shouted as Gundam continued to laugh.

"Well, _I_ don't need a blithering old man telling _me_ how to live  _my_ life!" Gundam retorted as he sat back down in his chair and raised his hand for the knights to release the king. The knights let go, letting the king fall to his knees. Gundam smiled at the quivering form of the king at his feet. "Oh how I adore you bowing to me like this~" Gundam chirped, causing the king to growl and stand up. He looked up at Gundam with eyes of pure hatred and scowled.

"You have danced on my last patience for too long now Gundam. I wish I didn't have to do this but-"

"-Oh trust me Leopold, I know you wanted to do this from the beginning of your visit. Well, maybe not, but I have." Gundam stood and looked out amongst the court. "On this day, I, Gundam Tanaka, have officially declared _war_ on the kingdom of Novoseli-" Before Gundam could finish his decree a young woman came rushing into the royal court shrieking.  

"I-I am s-so sorry Princess!! I-I just c-came in to a-apologize for st-staining your ceremonial dress!" The young woman stuttered out to Sonia. Gundam turned his attention away from the angering king to the young woman who had just entered the room. She looked about his age and she had long dark purple hair that was cut jaggedly in places. Her bangs covered her forehead for the most part and she had scared, greyish-purple eyes that were brimming with tears. She was wearing a long white dress that was stained red in places. Her shoes were simple commoner shoes, but they looked two sizes too big. She had pale white skin and a mole in the corner under her right eye. Gundam couldn't exactly place an emotion to how he felt about this young maiden, but for some reason he couldn't stop staring at her. His cheeks were beginning to feel hot the longer he stared at the young woman. Without even realizing it, he was walking toward the young girl. She was too busy blubbering to Sonia to notice at first, but once he got close she shrieked and fell to her knees.

"I am s-so sorry if I interrupted y-your royal c-court, your majesty!!" She cried out and Gundam for once did not respond. He just stared, taking in her features and the air she gave off. He found her personality to be cute and very inviting, despite her nervousness. Not to mention, she smelled quite nice to him. Sonia watched Gundam stare at the young woman in wonder. She had seen Gundam many times during royal get-together's and he never seemed as interested in anyone as much as he is interested in her.

"Um, I'm sorry if she interrupted your decree. She tends to be very scatterbrained when she gets nervous. She didn't realize she was interrupting something, she just wanted to apologize to me for staining my dress." Sonia explained and it is at that time that Gundam finally snapped out of his little trance and turned to Sonia.

"That is fine. I am curious though, I believe I have met every person in your castle, but not this one," He said and gestured to the young lady who was still kneeling, "Who is she?" At this time, the king stepped in.

"Her name is Mikan Tsumiki and she is Sonia's personal maid. She doesn't really like strangers so she doesn't hang around very often when we have guests over." Gundam nodded absentmindedly and took in the woman's name. Mikan Tsumiki. It sounded nice to Gundam's ears, it reminded him of faraway prairie fields that he would frolic in when he was a child. He smiled at the thought, but quickly shook it away and frowned once more. The young woman, known as Mikan, looked up at Gundam in fear. He noticed her gaze and looked down at her, a sudden thought entering his mind. He grinned wickedly and stuck his hand out toward Mikan.

"Go on, stand," Gundam said to Mikan, "There is no need for you to be kneeling any longer." She smiled meekly and took his hand, then she stood and tried to remove her hand from Gundam's. But he did not let go. Instead, he held her hand tighter and she began to worry. Gundam turned to Mikan and his grin turned into a smirk. "After all, a lady in waiting has no reason to kneel before her future husband~" Mikan gasped as the whole courtroom froze once more. Sonia looked shocked and the king looked mortified.

"M-Marry....a commoner? _You_ want to _marry_ a  ** _commoner_** _?_ " The king asked in disbelief and Gundam nodded. The courtroom gasped and Mikan began shaking uncontrollably. Gundam walked to the king with Mikan in tow. 

"Here's what I'll do. If you allow me to marry this maid, a person who presides in your kingdom and therefore is under your jurisdiction, I won't go to war with you. If you do not, then I will declare war on your kingdom and make _sure_ that you regret your decision." Gundam declared. The king paused for a moment, thinking over what he wanted to say. The whole courtroom was deathly silent awaiting the king's response. Sonia wanted to speak up, but she knew her opinion could start a war. Mikan tried to comprehend exactly what was happening as the king pondered. Gundam quickly got bored and sighed, letting go of Mikan's hand and walking back to his chair.

"Fine, if it's war you want then it's war you'll get." He said dismissively, causing the king to gasp.

"W-Wait!" He shouted. Gundam turned with an arched brow but a disinterested look. The king turned to Mikan and looked shameful. He walked to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm...sorry...but I need to worry about the rest of my kingdom...." He said sorrowfully, not able to meet Mikan's eye. She gasped and began trembling even more as Gundam chuckled under his breath.

"So I'm guessing we have a deal?" Gundam asked, already knowing the answer. The king looked away from Gundam and pushed Mikan toward him.

"Yes, she is yours...." He muttered. Gundam smirked and sat back in his chair, relishing in this feeling of victory.

"Good, now you may leave." Gundam said, waving a hand at them as if to shoo them out. The king stared at the ground as he quickly left the courtroom, the queen following not so far behind. Sonia lingered though, looking at Mikan with a look of pure sorrow before turning away and briskly walking away. The courtroom doors closed with a reverberating slam and suddenly the courtroom was engulfed with a tense silence once more. Mikan stood in the center of the courtroom still trembling violently. She looked around at the many pairs of eyes watching her and quickly became aware of her situation. She was just given away by her king, a man who had basically become a father to her, to this evil one, who she had only heard about in traveling gossip, to be wed. She would probably never see Sonia or anyone she cared about ever again and will most likely be treated horribly by Gundam. As she let these thoughts sink in, she began to tear up and soon she was sobbing right in the middle of the royal court. The members of the court didn't know what to do when Mikan began crying, so they just continued to stare. Everyone was too afraid of Gundam to try and help. Gundam looked at Mikan's sobbing form and suddenly felt a pang of remorse for his actions. He hadn't felt remorse since the time of his mother's reign. He didn't enjoy the feeling, so he stood and approached the sobbing young woman. He stood next to her awkwardly, trying to figure out what to do.

"Mikan..." Gundam said quietly, causing Mikan to turn. He stared into her teary eyes and began to feel even worse. He grabbed her hand and led her out of the royal court. Mikan looked around the castle as Gundam led her to some unknown place. The castle was grandeur with ivory columns and redwood floors. There was a huge chandelier above what looked to be the main room. Mikan had never seen a place so luxurious.  

"Wow..." She said in awe, "This place is....amazing! The Nevermind castle is fancy, but not as fancy as this!!" Gundam looked back at her and smiled at her awestruck face. Her eyes sparkled with wonder and her mouth was left agape. Gundam felt his cheeks get warm again, so he quickly turned around and walked faster. He led her to a large oak door with many intricate carvings on it. He opened the door and walked inside the room. Mikan gasped in surprise and looked around. It was a large bedroom that was painted a dark lavender. The bed frame was made of a dark wood that appeared to be stained black. The bed spread was also a dark lavender and the pillows were black. There was a large chandelier that hung above the bed. The floor was a hard oakwood that glistened in the light. There was an oakwood desk close to the bed that was covered in papers. Toward the far right of the room there was a large fireplace. There was a closet on the far left of the room and two doors next to it. Mikan looked around the room in wonder as Gundam shut the door behind her and walked over to his desk. He sat down and grabbed the quill pen that was sitting in its ink vial and began writing on the papers scattered all over his desk. Mikan was still standing by the door in awe. Gundam looked back at Mikan and smiled. 

"Are you okay?" Gundam asked, breaking Mikan from her trance. She looked at Gundam and nodded, walking around the room and inspecting it thoroughly. After she was done inspecting, she walked to Gundam's desk and stood awkwardly beside him. Gundam tried focusing on his work, but her presence was beginning to distract him, so he turned to her. "Are you okay?" He asked again, causing Mikan to jump. 

"U-Um, I'm fine....I was just wondering....uh...not to be rude but...uh....I uh....a-ahhh," She covered her face and began to tremble again. Gundam sighed and set his work down, standing up and grabbing both of Mikan's shoulders. 

"There is no need to be so shy Mikan, now what do you want to say?" She moved her hands so Gundam could see her face and she was surprised to see that he wasn't angry. He looked calm and collected, unlike her who was a blubbering mess. 

"I-I'm just wondering...what am I doing here?" She asked quietly, looking away from Gundam. Gundam chuckled at Mikan's nervousness and placed his hand under her chin, turning her head back to face him. Gundam leaned down until he was mere inches away from her face. Mikan blushed at the close proximity. 

"Well, I just thought you'd enjoy getting out of that stuffy room. What, with everyone staring at you like you were some piece of meat." Gundam explained and Mikan calmed down a bit. He took a step back from her and gestured to the room, "Also I thought it'd be wise to show you your sleeping quarters. Or, should I say,  _our_ sleeping quarters." Mikan blushed at his last statement. 

"O-Our?" Mikan questioned. Gundam nodded. 

"This is  _my_ room after all. I am just letting you sleep here with me. I'd rather not you have a room next to my workers. They might... _alter_ your opinion of me. Or just _alter_ you in general..." He explained nonchalantly, even with his last words sounding rather ominous and threatening. Mikan tried not to screech at the notion of people "altering" her and just nodded quickly. She suddenly realized why the workers in the Nevermind castle called Gundam a "charismatic but ominous ruler".

"S-So...I'm sleeping...here?" Mikan asked and Gundam nodded again. She turned around and looked at the bed. Mikan was relieved to see that the bed was large enough to easily fit two people with enough space between them. Gundam walked to the door closest to the closet and opened it.

"Here is the bathroom, so if you're uncomfortable with changing while I'm in the room you can change in there." Gundam stated and then walked to the closet and opened it.

"And here is where you can put your clothes." Mikan's eyes widened at that statement.

"B-But, I have no clothes..." Mikan noted, looking down at the dress she was wearing. She was covered in stains and dirt and the shoes she had were too big. Despite living in the castle, she still had to get her own clothes. And since she was not paid much at the castle, she could only afford three dresses and one pair of shoes. She suddenly felt embarrassed, looking like trash in front of a king. While Mikan was looking down at her clothes, Gundam approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She immediately looked up to him and then suddenly they were mere centimeters away from each other's face. Gundam stared into Mikan's eyes and suddenly felt compelled to move himself forward. His cheeks felt red hot and, as he managed to break eye contact with Mikan for a moment, he saw that Mikan was flushed. He looked down at Mikan's lips and without complete realization, he began leaning forward. Mikan noticed him moving closer and, for a moment, she almost wanted to lean forward as well. Then she remembered the rumors about how much he enjoys manipulating people and watching their torment, so she quickly pushed him away.

"I-I think we should wait until we know each other better before doing that!" She cried out, trying to bat away the blush from her face. Gundam snapped out of his small trance and realized what he was about to do, making him turn a bright red before he could compose himself. He managed to calm down quite quickly and, with a small snap, he summoned a whole crowd of maids into his room; each of them holding an article of clothing. Mikan watched in wonder as the women bustled in and stood in attention before Gundam. Gundam looked over at Mikan and gestured to the group of maids.

"These ladies will help you get fit with some new clothes. After all, we can't have a future queen walking around in _rags_ , can we?" He said before walking towards the door. "I'll just leave you so you can change in peace. Have the maids call to me when you have finished." And just like that, he was gone and the swarm of maids rushed to Mikan; measuring every inch of her body and passing words of gossip to each other. They told Mikan just about every secret of this castle that they've heard, and they spoke of Gundam's cruel heart. 

"You'll be gone in a week," One maid commented, "If you're not thrown out as soon as that trading agreement is made, then you'll probably be executed for some sort of treason to the kingdom." Mikan gulped and nervously laughed as the maids continued to chatter.

"This kingdom's a mess though, so maybe she'll help," Another maid said, "I mean, he seems to show an interest in her, so what if they do end up lasting and this girl helps bring us back to the old days?" At that notion, all the maids stopped what they were doing and sighed dreamily. Mikan looked around, feeling extremely confused.

"O-Old days?" Mikan questioned. The maids nodded and continued to dream.

"Ah yes, the old days~ Back when Gundam's mother was still in rule." One maid clarified.

"She was such a nice woman; always helping the people and spreading peace throughout the land!" Another maid proclaimed, "Every night there was a feast for the workers and she shared her wealth with the people, so no one was ever poor!" Mikan tried to picture something like that happening here. Yes, she had seen the rest of this kingdom when she rode through with the Nevermind family. She had seen their overworked and drained faces watch the lavished carriage that carried the Nevermind family through. And Mikan had to admit that she saw Gundam as a bit selfish, what with him having all this luxury while his people starved.

"But, Gundam was just never ready for rule," A maid interrupted Mikan's thoughts and the mood in the room changed drastically, "He grew up with no father and even though the queen tried her best to raise him, she was just too busy. I mean, she ran the whole damn kingdom by herself!"

"I do remember the king of Novoselic offering to wed her, when his marriage was straining, but she denied." Another maid butted in, "She told the king that he had his own daughter to be raising and she had her son to be raising, and she'd rather at least one of them having a healthy relationship with two birth parents." Mikan was shocked to be taking in all this sudden information. She had no idea Gundam had no father or that the king of Novoselic had offered to wed Gundam's mother. She had just assumed that Gundam was just a spoiled brat with the way he acted.

"No one was prepared for the queen's death...." One maid pointed out sadly, "She was so young...No one had any idea she was sick..."

"S-Sick?" Mikan asked and the maids nodded.

"She had Yellow Fever...." A maid answered, putting the dress she was holding down, "She didn't even have the fever for long...but then....she kept coughing up blood....Gundam was by her side every day she was ill, until she finally passed in her sleep...."

"Gundam woke that morning to no mother and a new task: be king." The oldest maid stated, causing everyone in the room to turn and face her. She hadn't talked the whole time, but now she spoke. She was elderly looking and ha to at least be about fifty years old. Her eyes held a lot of wisdom and her wrinkles represented years of work in the castle. "I've known Gundam since he was just a babe. Such a sweet boy, but he always had a problem with his duties as prince. He would constantly rebel against his mother, saying that he wanted to work with animals and not people. But he loved his mother too much to ever go against her, so he kept down his path to becoming a king. I was hoping he would at least be a bit older before he became king, but sometimes fate has different plans...Gundam, in the beginning, was a very scared king. It wasn't until the first war against us that he hardened to the man he is now. I still believe he is the same good boy he was when he was young, he just needs someone to push it out of him." The woman then looked directly at Mikan and pointed to her.

"A woman like _you_." Mikan jumped at the woman's words. She pointed at herself meekly. 

"M-Me?" She asked.

"Yes you," The woman replied, walking closer to Mikan, "When I look at you, I see Gundam's mother. You share so many of her traits, and even though I haven't seen many of them, I can see it in your eyes. You are kind. You are generous. You care about people, even if they do not care about you. You have some fears, but your bravery shines in many ways. You are calm in the face of danger. Yes, you are very much like his mother, and that's what he needs....A calm woman like her to make him be himself again...." She stopped in front of Mikan and grabbed both of her shoulders, "Even if you do not like him now, please be patient with him. I know this, and I think he knows it too. You are _the one_ for him, dearie. And whether you like it or not, you are going to be crowned queen of this land." Mikan stared back into the woman's tired eyes in shock and nodded slowly. While she seemed to be handling this information well on the outside, inside she was flipping her lid. At the mere thought of being destined to rule, she began to break down.

"I-I-I don't think I c-can do that!!" Mikan shouted, hiding her face in her hands and beginning to cry. The maids backed away from Mikan and put the clothes in the closet, then walked out of the room. The eldest maid stayed, rubbing Mikan's back and petting her hair.

"I know you can't see it now, but please try and understand him. Your wedding may be in a mere three weeks, but you have your entire life to understand him. So try and start understanding him early." The maid said before walking out of the room. Mikan looked up at the door and watched the old woman leave the room. She thought on the maid's statement and decided she was going to try and understand Gundam.

Gundam eventually entered the room again and continued working on his paperwork while Mikan asked him random questions about his past. He shared some entertaining stories and happy times while Mikan laughed and shared some stories of her own. Soon it was nightfall and Gundam and Mikan were in bed. Gundam was reading a book while Mikan stared up at the ceiling. They remained in complete silence until Mikan turned over and faced Gundam.

"Gundam?" Mikan called out and Gundam put his book down for a moment and turned to her.

"Yes Mikan?" Gundam responded. Mikan sat up in bed and fiddled with her fingers, trying to formulate this question.

"G-Gundam....why are you so....mean?" Gundam sat up at her question and looked at her archly. She looked away from him and began stuttering. "W-Well, I-I saw your kingdom and...they're all so poor and sick wh-while you sit here in luxury...A-And the maids told me that wh-when you're mother was alive that everything was peacefu-" Before she could finish her thought, Gundam had grabbed her wrist and squeezed it tightly, making her yelp. She turned to him and saw his eyes were cold and dark. He leaned over and glared at her. 

" _Never talk of my mother ever again._ " He whispered harshly, letting go of Mikan's wrist and laying back down in bed. Mikan looked down at her harmed wrist and saw it was bruised. She felt tears well up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. No, she had to understand Gundam, and in order to understand him she needed to force this information out of him. So she leaned over, took his book from his hands and tossed it across the room. Gundam looked at her in surprise as she scooted closer to him and forced him to sit up. 

"No. Don't give me that," She said brashly, "I want you to tell me what happened. I want to know you. To _understand_ you. You are my future husband, so you have no right to keep things away from me." Gundam looked at Mikan in surprise as she sat down comfortably and folded her hands in her lap. "Now tell me everything." Gundam signed, seeing that he was not getting out of this, and settled himself as well. 

"Well, to be very blunt, I realize I am terrible. I can see how pained my people are. I can see the poverty and the sorrow, but I just....don't know how to fix it. Ha, listen to that. Me, Gundam Tanaka, the most wicked and feared ruler in all the lands has no idea what to do. To be very honest, my mother was always the good one....She always knew what to do when things were rough. She was such a wonderful woman; always kind and loving. She would rather give all her riches away than see any person in her kingdom be poor. I tried my best to be like her, but I've just never been a people person...I much rather prefer animals than people. Animals listen to you without judging you. Animals care for you without a single word needing to be said...I've always loved animals. My mother let me have a dog when I was a child, but sadly...he died a month later...My mom told me it was because he was sick, but I knew....He died because of me....Everything always fails because of me...This kingdom, my mother's health, my dog's health, my own life....I'm such a failure as a king, I don't get how I haven't been kicked off the throne yet...Oh yeah, it's because I scare the piss out of everyone..." Gundam finished his small rant and looked down at his hands in remorse, as if he could see all of his failures in his palms. Mikan sat, mouth agape, for a moment before she felt a wave of empathy wash over her. She reached over and grabbed his hand, making Gundam look up at her. She intertwined her fingers with his and moved right next to him.

"You know, I understand how you feel Gundam...I've always seen myself as a failure too," Mikan said, looking down at her lap, "My mother died after giving birth to me and my father was so devastated by the loss that he killed himself...right in front of me...I was then sent to an orphanage, where all the kids would pick on me and beat me. I began to think that I deserved the abuse, so I hurt myself as well...It wasn't until I was ten that the king came to my orphanage and took me in. I don't know if he could tell I was in pain or if I just looked like the best worker, but I was the only one picked to go. I spent my days working as the princess' maid, and I soon found myself happy. I hadn't ever felt that sort of joy, but it was short-lived. Soon the king gave me much more work than the other maids, and if I didn't do something right he would yell at me. Call me useless and worthless. But then the next day he would apologize and make everything seem okay again. There was never a dull moment in that castle, and that wasn't a good thing. Every day the king had some sort of guest coming to the castle, and I became so afraid of the strangers coming in and out of the castle that I just locked myself in my room anytime a guest came in. I always felt like such trash, I still do sadly...But....I know that here I'm going to make some sort of difference," She looked up from her lap to Gundam, "With you."

Gundam looked shocked that she would say such a thing. "W-What do you mean?" He questioned.

"When I become queen, I'm going to make sure no person ever feels the way we feel right now," Mikan said boldly, "When we rule together, I am going to make sure you don't feel like a failure. I'm going to make you good."

"Make _me_ good?" Gundam repeated, laughing to himself, "That's a humorous statement Mikan, but I'm afraid I cannot be changed." 

"No." Mikan replied, putting both her hands on Gundam's lap, staring directly into his eyes, "I will make you good. I will teach you how to handle your anger and we will learn together how to handle our past. I know it's going to be difficult, but I believe if we just trust each other we can do it!" Gundam tried to laugh at Mikan's statement, but she looked so serious all Gundam could do was furrow her eyebrows at her.

".....You really think I could be good?" He asked. Mikan smiled and brushed a hair behind his ear, making Gundam blush.

"I _know_ you're good, Gundam. We just...have to get it back!" Mikan proclaimed. Gundam smiled gently at her enthusiasm and stroked her cheek softly. Mikan almost jumped at the action, but remained still. 

"Well, if you think that, then maybe I really could..." Gundam thought aloud, causing Mikan to beam. Gundam was still stroking her cheek as they fell into another silence. This time though, it was quite peaceful. Both parties just staring at each other with a big grin on their faces, and their eyes almost held a bit of...affection maybe? Who knows. Before long, Mikan felt the calms of sleep beckon to her, so she moved Gundam's hand from her cheek and laid down. Gundam saw her nestling into the covers and decided he should sleep too.

"Goodnight Mikan," Gundam said as he blew out the candles that they were using as a light source. He waited for a response, but after a minute he did not receive one. He turned to Mikan and saw she was sound asleep. He smiled and played with her hair as she slept. He felt so calm and carefree around her. I mean, he hadn't shared his feelings to anyone, but with her they all sort of fell out. He felt so relieved now that he let out his feelings and he felt a sort of connection between him and Mikan. He enjoyed watching her sleep, it somehow calmed him. Without completely noticing it, he had leaned over and kissed Mikan's forehead tenderly. When he parted from her face, he looked at her fondly and he began to realize something which caused him to sit up in bed.

"I'm....in love...."

Several weeks past after that fateful day, and Gundam's realization grew stronger with each passing moment by Mikan's side. She was nervous around others and could barely speak a word when spoken to, but when they retired to their room she lit up like a roaring fire. She helped him manage his anger he began helping her with her anxiety. He felt his love for her grow stronger, and with each night they slept in the same bed Gundam dreamed the same dream. Him and Mikan, spinning around in an open prairie field; her wearing a beautiful wedding dress and Gundam a dashing suit. He would dream this dream every night and wake up with the same desire, to make his dream a reality. Well today, he decided, was the day he was going to at least make his first attempt to making his dream a reality. So, he cancelled all important meetings and told Mikan to wear something that could get dirty. He had a maid pack a lunch and then he and Mikan were off in a carriage to an unknown place. Mikan was excited to see where they were going, but she was even more excited to spend a day without anyone else but Gundam. She had begun warming up to the idea that she just _may_  love Gundam. The old maid was right, she honestly felt that there was no other person in the world who could bring out this side of Gundam than her. And while she saw that thought as a bit selfish and conceited, she embraced the thought nonetheless.  

Mikan stared outside the carriage window in excitement as Gundam sat beside her, beginning to feel his first shred of doubt. He feared that he would mess everything up, or that the weather would suddenly go against his plans, despite the fact that he had checked today's whether about twenty times before cancelling his meetings. He had no more time to worry though because the carriage stopped at their destination: a wide open prairie field. Specifically the one that Gundam's mother used to bring him to. As he let Mikan out of the carriage he began to feel a sense of nostalgia looking out amongst the field. He sent the carriage away and led Mikan to a nice place to sit, right where the sun was in perfect view and they could look upon the field. She looked out on the field in awe and delight as Gundam set out the lunch that was prepared for them. He looked down in the basket and sighed nervously when he spotted the ring box in the corner. He still had that, so he was good for now. He put the basket aside and ate with Mikan, sharing memories of this field with her. She seemed rather interested and admitted to really never being this far away from civilization ever.

"It's fascinating really," Mikan said, looking out on the field, "how two people can feel so alone when they're with others, but feel so welcomed and alive when they are alone with each other..." Gundam nodded thoughtfully at her words, making the rushed decision to say what he wanted to say now before something catastrophic happened. He stood and lent his hand for Mikan, who took it and stood as well. He faced her and locked his gaze with hers, which still looked dreamy and reminiscent.

"Mikan, there's...something I need to tell-no wait. _Ask._ There's something I need to  _ask_ you..." He said, looking away from Mikan for a moment to gather his words. Mikan seemed confused but interested as Gundam turned back to her.  

"Mikan, we have only spent a few short weeks together. But to me, they've felt like endless years. I've come to learn more about another human being than I have ever known about myself, and you've taught me to accept my past and use it to move forward. I laugh more when I'm with you and I sleep better dreams with you by my side...I-In fact, there's a particular dream that I've been having lately that I...I'd like to fulfill...." Mikan tilted her head in confusion as Gundam played with the collar of his shirt, blushing intensely.

"What is it Gundam?" Mikan asked and Gundam cleared his throat before looking back to her and stepping closer.

"W-Well....it involves me...and you....and this field....a-and we're happy...and the sun is shining...a-and.....ahem, and you are in a....a....w-wedding dress....and I in a...suit...and we are...um, how do you say...uh...kissing..." Gundam managed to sputter out, causing Mikan to turn a bright pink.

"K-Kissing? I-In a wedding g-gown? Gundam, but why-"

"-Because with you I feel alive again!" Gundam cut Mikan off, "With you, I feel like I'm a success. Like, for once I did something right! I feel free with you Mikan!! I f-feel...in...l-l...lo....love...." His last word came out as a mere whisper, but Mikan heard it like he was shouting it in her ear. Love, something she was feeling about him. Love, a feeling she thought couldn't be felt in relation to her. Love, a feeling they both shared for each other. Mikan stared at Gundam and Gundam stared back. Neither spoke, but soon they were leaning in toward each other, and this time Mikan was not going to push him away. They were only an inch away from each other when Gundam whispered, "Mikan, I love you." Their lips touched and it was like a million fireworks had set off all at once in that moment. They immediately melted into the kiss and made it long and passionate. They felt like the other had been the missing piece in their life, and after what felt like an eternity to them, their lips parted.

"G-Gundam...I love you too..." Mikan whispered as she leaned her forehead against his. Gundam smiled and could feel his heart racing.

"Good," He replied, kneeling down to grab the ring box from the basket before facing her and opening it, "Then marry me." Mikan gasped and felt tears well up in her eyes. She wasn't even able to voice her answer, but her head nod and sudden collapse into Gundam's arms was all the answer he needed. He placed the ring onto her ring finger gently and hugged her as close to him as possible. They shared another kiss and Gundam could feel the bond between them set for life. When they parted this time, Mikan looked at the ring on her finger before giggling uncontrollably.

"What's so funny?" Gundam asked. Mikan looked up at him and smiled.

"I'm already supposed to marry you next week. What good was it to ask now?" Gundam's face deadpanned as he came to the realization before he began to laugh as well.

And what a wonderful wedding it was. The weather was perfect and everyone in the castle had gathered for the occasion. Even members of the Nevermind castle came to celebrate the occasion. Sonia hugged Mikan tightly and told her that she figured Mikan would find love soon. King Lepold signed Gundam's trade agreement, and as Gundam and Mikan sealed their wedding vows with a kiss the crowd went nuts. Right after the priest announced them wed, Gundam grabbed Mikan by her waist and lifted her up, spinning around in a circle and kissing her again. And, in the distance, Gundam could hear his mother whisper "I knew you could do it" as the wind swept by them. He smiled and looked up at the sky, silently thanking his mother. Mikan looked at Gundam and kissed his nose, making Gundam turn to her again and they looked into each other's eyes and, for the first time, neither of them blushed as they rested their foreheads against each other and took in each other's company. 

While fate may be cruel and twisted, the fate of lovers is pure and true. You may never think you'll experience this feeling, but when you find the one it will come to you...       

    

             


End file.
